LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 15:5 May 2015
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Brown’s Morphological Skills in Typically Developing Trilingual (Konkani-English Kannada) Speaking Children

Jenny Mevis Dsouza, Final Year MASLP Student
Satish Kumaraswamy, Ph.D. Scholar


Abstract

An individual is exposed to more than one language, with increasing mobility or globalization. Relatively little research has been conducted on children’s English grammatical development in trilinguals. The present study aimed to understand the usage of Browns morphological skills in context of general conversation and picture discrimination in 6-9 years Konkani- English- Kannada trilingual children. Speech samples were audio taped from 45 school going (Konkani- English- Kannada) trilingual speakers. Collection of samples included tasks of picture discrimination and clinician child conversation. Language data obtained was analysed, based on Brown’s (1973) 14 grammatical morphemes. Results showed that out of 14 morphemes only 6 and 8 morphemes were present in picture task and general conversation in 6-7 years children, 8 and 8 morphemes were present in picture task and general conversation in 7-8 years children, and 9 and 10 morphemes were present in picture task and general conversation in 8-9 years children. Concluded that Konkani- English- Kannada trilingual children followed a different morphological development pattern when compared to the typically developing monolingual English children.

Key words: Brown’s 14 grammatical morphemes, trilingual speakers, Konkani language.

Introduction

Language is the key vehicle for communication. Language is a set of arbitrary signs used by a group of people for the purpose of communication. Understanding of language requires the explanation of terms symbol and arbitrary (Owens, 2008). Language is the systematic and conventional use of sounds for the purpose of communication on self- expression. Language is complex and multifaceted (Crystal, 1995).

Morphology is the feature of language concerned with the rules governing change in word meaning. A morpheme is a word or part of a word that conveys meaning. Many words can be broken down into minor units that can be used to convey meaning. Grammatical morphemes such as the present progressive ‘– ing’, the regular past ‘–ed’ and the plural ‘-s’ are defined as “bound” in that’ they function as symbols or tags that are used to change the meaning when attached to a word. Other grammatical morphemes such as in’, ‘on’, ‘a’ and ‘the’ are described as “free” because they can stand alone, modifying another word but not attached to it.


This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.


Jenny Mevis D’Souza
Final Year MASLP Student
Dr. M.V Shetty College of Speech and Hearing
Maladi Court, Kavoor
Mangalore – 575015
Karnataka
India
jennymavis1992@gmail.com

Satish Kumaraswamy
Principal
Dr. M.V Shetty College of Speech and Hearing
Maladi Court, Kavoor
Mangalore – 575015
Karnataka
India
sat8378@yahoo.com

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